Earlier its was speculated that the iPad Mini 5 will be launched along with the iPhone 7 on Sept. 7, 2016. However, Apple representatives did not even mention the name of the device during the launch of its recent phone in the iPhone series.
Now it is rumored that the iPad Mini 5's release date has been set to March 2017. The device is expected to have similar features and hardware configuration as that of iPhone 7, according to The BitBag.
Earlier it was speculated that the next product in the iPad Mini series will be equipped with A9 processor. However, recent reports claim that the next generation device would be powered with latest A10 processor with 2 GB RAM.
Apple is also expected to equip the iPad Mini 5 with the latest 3D Touch pressure-sensitive screen, the technology that the company already uses in its iPhone. In addition, the iPad Mini 5 is rumored to have a touch-sensitive home button, a feature launched for the first time in iPhone 7.
On the other hand, the traditional 3.5mm jack is rumored to be replaced by a lightning port. The upcoming iPad Mini 5 will have similar camera resolution as that of perious in the series - 8 MP main and 1.2 MP front. However, the display quality of both the cameras will be much better than before, thanks to the processor upgrade.
On the flip side, the company may decide to drop the 16GB version of the device, just like what it did in case of iPhone 7. The 16 GB variant of iPad Mini 4 was priced at $399 at the time of its launch. Since iPad Mini 5 will only be available in 32 GB variant, the prices are likely to go as high as $450.
According to GamenGuide, Apple may decide to reduce the size of upcoming iPad Mini 5 by incorporating less powerful battery. Despite low battery power, the battery life of the device will not be compromised with. The use of latest and more power-efficient A10 processor is expected to help maintain battery backup.
